Politicians should focus on the national interest and put last month’s “unbelievable” leadership debacle behind them, according to IAG CEO Mike Wilkins.

The announcement of a September election has at least provided certainty, he says.

“Lack of certainty has been a significant impediment to Australian business during this hung parliament,” Mr Wilkins told a meeting of the American Chamber of Commerce in Australia.

To build a stronger Australia, he says, all sides of politics should focus on three “big-ticket items”: international competitiveness, productivity, and infrastructure.

The country is now 20th in a list of the most competitive global economies, having previously been 16th, he says.

Regulation, tax rates and labour laws are to blame, according to Mr Wilkins.

Calling for a national system for workers’ compensation, he said: “I’m unsure how we expect to compete globally when we are busy competing against ourselves when trying to run a national operation.”

Productivity can be improved by removing barriers against older people and new parents contributing to the workforce, Mr Wilkins says.

Infrastructure is also crucial. “Having employees stuck in traffic, having extra expense trying to move goods, having public transport break down… costs business and our economy every day.”

“Chronic under-spending” has hit infrastructure for years, he says.

Mr Wilkins backs a second Sydney airport and fast-tracking of the Melbourne Metro rail tunnel.

He also supports raising tax to pay for infrastructure. “I think the possibilities of an improved and more efficient system based on larger GST revenue are compelling.”

Resilience against natural disasters should be prioritised, Mr Wilkins says.

“Over the past five years natural disasters have caused billions of dollars of damage to private property and public infrastructure, with the sad and inevitable loss of life.

“IAG strongly believes there is a need for greater emphasis by governments on community adaptation to extreme weather events, including stronger building codes to protect structures from natural perils [and] more risk-appropriate use of land.”